FDA approves first use of novel immune system drug for cancer

Colorectal cancer is the 4th most common cause of deaths related to cancer worldwide. Lynch syndrome or HNPCC is one of most common genetic causes of Colon cancer. Here are a few questions to better understand Lynch syndrome and how we can screen for it. 1. What is the Lynch syndrome? Which genes are involved? Lynch Syndrome is also known as hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer or HNPCC. It has a genetic disposition, hence the term hereditary and is known to be associated or  the…

We prepare ourselves for everything, but most of us are in denial about death. Aparna Das shares the one final lesson her father taught her during his last few days as he breathed his last. My father was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer in October 2017. Of course, he and all of us did everything in our capacity to save him. But he passed away on the 20th of April 2018. The three days leading to his death were probably the most painful that our family had faced collectively. But I have a…

Talking and writing about health related experiences is still not common in Asia.  This International Women’s Day, we reach out to three dynamic women who share their experience as patient or caregiver to understand their motivations. In the last part of the series, we feature Mariyam Raza Haider.   1)    Why did you choose to blog? My strongest reason for blogging was to bring perspective to my father’s illness and its impact on my life. As I began writing about…

Javed Khan and his wife describe their 14 year old son, Tavish’s journey with cancer - from diagnosis to treatment and the support they received from Accesslife. 5 months ago, Tavish started complaining of knee pain in his left leg. He was an avid hockey player and noticed frequent falls during a game and while riding his bicycle. Initially the pain was dismissed but soon it grew more intense and would be worse at night time. Tavish would often be unable to sleep all night due to the pain and…

Dr Gayatri Deshpande, senior gynaecologist, cautions against infection of the Human papillomavirus (HPV) transmitted mainly through sexual contact that can cause painful and highly contagious genital warts resulting in a range of cancers in both men and women and advises safe sex to reduce risks. What is Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection and how do you get it? This is an infection caused by Human Papillomavirus which is a DNA virus. One can catch this infection by sexual contacts which may…

And other questions on types of radiation therapy and tips to handle the effects of radiation therapy answered by Dr. Arpana Shukla, Senior Consultant Radiation Oncology, Sterling Cancer Center Ahmedabad 1.   What exactly is Radiation Therapy? Radiation Therapy is a clinical modality mainly dealing with the use of ionizing radiations for the treatment of cancer patients (and occasionally benign diseases). The primary goal is to deliver a precisely measured dose of radiation to a…

Dr Radha Goyal, Deputy Director of Indian Pollution Control Association (IPCA), New Delhi, shares the research on how the carcinogenic elements in the air we breathe are lethal in more senses than one. The current pollution levels in our country, particularly in Delhi/NCR – how threatening is it for lung cancer cases? The latest urban air quality database released by the World Health Organization (WHO) reconfirms that most Indian cities are becoming death traps because of very high air…

The most important factor in medical emergencies is to not panic, think calmly and act quickly and effectively. Mariyam Raza Haider, 26, recounts an emergency due to side effects of chemotherapy for her father's treatment of oral cancer and the lessons she learnt from it. This concludes the two-part series. One of the biggest concerns when taking care of a cancer patient on chemotherapy is the bout of side effects. The most common side effects of any form of chemotherapy are — nausea,…

Mariyam Raza Haider, 26, gives a first person account of how she makes her father’s chemotherapy cycles for aggressive oral cancer as easy and comfortable as possible. This is the first of a two-part series. Chemotherapy, despite being one of the most rigorous medical treatments, demands a pretty simple administration regime. More often than not, cancer patients spend a few hours at the hospital’s daycare, get the chemo drugs through intravenous catheters, and are then discharged. Most side…

Shivani Maheshwari brings you a list of 10 movies and documentaries on health released in 2017. It is a random selection, with no preference or bias. They were picked up because they featured prominently on social media. The dominance of American staple probably makes a telling statement that more work needs to be done in the health sector in India, in terms of films, features, docudramas, narratives, and motion pictures. Hopefully, 2018 will be better. Watch them if you can. Many are available…